28 Days Later Review
by Josh Gilchrist (joshgilch AT aol DOT com)June 30th, 2003
Josh Gilchrist's review of "28 Days Later" * * * 1/2 out of * * * *
Directed by Danny Boyle
Starring Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris
112 minutes
Rated R for strong violence and gore, language and nudity
There's a formula that must be followed to make a good scary movie, and everyone has their own formula. Horror movies are a tricky concept since there's not one proven technique that will terrify everyone. This is why when a film is released which a majority of critics and audiences declare will frighten you to death, I take notice. I'm always up for a good scare. The problem is that I can probably count on one hand the number of films that I consider scary.
In order to have me break into the cold sweat of fear, a filmmaker must tell, not show. There's a certain power to psychological horror, with its ability to creep the mind instead of sicken the stomach. It's what creeps into our minds which create bad dreams.
"28 Days Later” certainly doesn't hold back with visuals since it's about as gory as films like this get. It's also a film which doesn't take much thought to follow. Look deeper though and you that it's full of wit. The film is a mind-trip in that it's relentless in the pursuit of displaying the descent into the mind of the helpless and the irrationality which soon follows.
The film is directed by Danny Boyle, no stranger to exploits into mind and reason. "Trainspotting” delved into the world of drug addicts while "The Beach” is a story of survival and the descent from idealism to fascism. "28 Days Later” involves the story of survival also, but in a less stylish and more abrasive format.
The film, shot in London entirely on video to give it a look of realism, involves a subject matter which hits close to home, a virus attacking the human
race. Thoughts of SARS and HIV will undoubtedly race through heads while viewing the film, making it even more fear-inspiring. The film opens with a group of monkeys being manipulated by lab scientists. The monkeys have been infected with a virus which causes pure rage. When some animal rights activists
invade the lab to set the animals free, the worst case scenario occurs. One bite from these monkeys can spread the virus. Once a person has it, it's transmitted through blood. The bad news is that those infected transform into flesh eating monsters.
The film then quickly cuts to 28 days later, with the city of London evacuated after the virus became widespread. Jim (Cillian Murphy) was hospitalized in a coma during the entire outbreak. This is a brilliant mechanism since we're following everything through Jim's eyes. Not seeing the carnage that let up to the isolation, we're left with the same fear of the unknown which he possesses. Waking up from a coma to find the world as you know it deserted and your family killed has got to be the most surreal experience conceivable.
Jim soon does find survivors, Mark (Noah Huntley) and Selena (Naomie Harris), who must fill our hero in on the situation and also teach him the rules of survival. There are infected people still prowling the streets, ready to feed on anyone who is left. The rest of the film involves their roadtrip to salvation.
The film's premise, concocted by Alex Garland has all of the trappings of a regular zombie film. The difference is that there's constantly a sense of curiosity throughout. This is a film which is driven by story, not violence. There's an added danger which surfaces in the last half that makes the film even more intellectually stimulating. It's the study of what survival means to a person and the extent one will go to in order to persevere, even if the actions are wrong.
Kudos go to cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, famous for shooting three of the films in the foreign Dogme series, for creating the documentary style format here. I'm more fond of his work in 1998's "The Celebration,” yet his work here is not supposed to be as intimate. Instead, it's meant to be mesmerizing and it benefits from the terrific editing skills of Chris Gill. I'm rarely a fan of music video style cuts but Gill's work here is appropriate for the film's frantic mood at certain moments. It also goes well with the rock soundtrack.
It's director Boyle's work which is most commendable. His knowledge of storytelling and interest in the psyche makes "28 Days Later” compelling. Even though the exact storyline may be improbable, it's a circumstance which could surface someday since our species is bound to meet some obstacle down the
road. As Emerson put it, "The bittersweet tragic element in life is the belief in a brute fate or destiny.” That's what makes the future questionable and this film so unforgettable.
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